These photographs of ‘spirits’ are taken from an album of photographs unearthed in a Lancashire second-hand and antiquarian bookshop by one of the National Media Museum’s curators. They were taken by a controversial medium called William Hope (1863-1933). In about 1905 Hope became interested in spirit photography after capturing the supposed image of a ghost while photographing a friend. He went on to found the Crewe Circle – a group of six spirit photographers led by him. Following World War I support for the Crewe Circle grew as the grieving relatives of those lost to the war sought a means of contacting their loved ones. In 1922, the Society for Psychical Research sent Harry Price to investigate the group. Price collected evidence that Hope was substituting glass plates bearing ghostly images in order to produce his spirit photographs. Later the same year Price published his findings, exposing Hope as a fraudster. However, Hope continued to practice, despite his exposure.
(Text and photos source: Flickr)
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Interesting piece. When you look at these pix today, they are so obviously faked, however, I can see how he would have gotten away with it back in the 1900′s. I think it was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle who also publicised Spiritualism back in the day and was very active in spreading the word.
At the Spiritualist Association of Great Britain (SAGB) headquarters they have photos on the wall – (or at least they used to) – of Conan Doyle with what, if I remember is supposed to be Ectoplasm, coming from the mouth out to the out-stretched arms of the person in the pic.
Of course Conan Doyle was much better known for writing the Sherlock Holmes stories.
Good post, enjoyed it and thanks for sharing.
Mark
This very interesting; I never knew of this man
“However, Hope continued to practice, despite his exposure.” Huh?
even after he was exposed for faking the shots in the development stage, he still continued to practice his art nevertheless.